Arsenal's Search For A Striker Continues In Vain

Arsenal had their problems in front of goal last season, but they somehow managed to sneak into second place on the final day of the season. On the face of it second place was their best finish in the Premier League since 2005, but it's impossible not to believe they blew a great chance to win their first title in 12 years. With all of the other big clubs falling by the wayside the route to the title was laid out in front of them, but they weren't up to the task when the chips were down.

Next season will surely see the likes of United, Chelsea, City and Liverpool making a better challenge for the title and Arsenal will have to improve just to try to keep pace. The team and squad certainly need strengthening and the most pressing position to fill is that of a striker. 

At the moment we have Olivier Giroud who has just lost the final of Euro 2016 with France and has a holiday to take before he can even think of the new season which begins in 31 days. After Giroud the options disappear very quickly with Danny Welbeck injured until the new year at least and Theo Walcott clearly not a genuine option. After that we're looking at players like Yaya Sanogo and Chuba Akpom, but they can't be real alternatives for a starting position against Liverpool on August 14.

With all of that in mind there is a pressing need for a striker and it's a need which has to be addressed very quickly. It looked like Jamie Vardy was going to be the easy option for Arsenal when they activated the release clause in his contract, but he chose to stay with Leicester City. His rejection was certainly a blow and the club need to target the player they need and do their business as quickly as possible.

There has been plenty of speculation and the list of names seems to grow by the day. Whether any of those players will end up at the club or not is another thing, but one thing is certain and that is a striker is an absolute necessity if Arsenal are going to challenge next season. It's not going to be easy to find the right player and there seems to be a real lack of quality strikers available at anything approaching a reasonable price. Arsenal are probably going to have to pay over the odds for any striker they buy and Arsene Wenger is not exactly known for paying over the odds.

First up there's Gonzalo Higuain who is apparently available for a fee in the region of £60 million, but that fee increases with each day as Sterling decreases in value. Higuain broke goalscoring records in Italy last season and he could be just the striker we need, but it's an awful lot of money for a player who will have no resale value when his contract is up. At 28 he's at his prime though and he would surely be an improvement on the current options. There has been some mention of Giroud going in the other direction as a makeweight in the deal, but surely Arsenal need to keep him too.

After Higuain the next option seems to be Alexandre Lacazette and he would probably cost half of what Napoli want for Higuain. The question is whether Lacazette would be an improvement on the current options and it's not easy to imagine he would be. He didn't make the French squad for the Euros though and Giroud had a pretty good tournament. At 25 he is approaching his prime and if we could get the best out of him he might just be the best option of those that are being mooted.

Next up is Alvaro Morato and he's another player who's name just won't seem to go away. He's only 23 years old, but I can't say I have been overly impressed with his goalscoring record to date. Real Madrid brought him back from Juventus just to sell him on it seems and it looks like they will auction him off to the highest bidder. For me I think Arsenal should steer clear, but the chances are they won't be making a move for him anyway at the price currently being mentioned.

Romelu Lukaku is another player who won't seem to go away and he has an impressive goalscoring record so far. He's still got time on his side, but I can't say he looks an awful lot better than Giroud although he does have more pace. Again I can't see Arsenal paying the money which Everton are reportedly looking for and I'm not sure he's the striker we need either.

Finally there's Maurco Icardi whose wife has apparently spilled the beans on an impending move from Inter. With Arsenal in need of a striker it's easy to put two and two together and say we're in for Icardi, but I don't think there's too much to these rumours. Like Lukaku and Lacazette he has time on his side and his club goalscoring record is quite good, but Arsenal need the finished article and he's certainly not that just yet.

It's impossible to know which (if any) of these players will join Arsenal, but the rumours will continue with the need so pressing. Hopefully the right player will arrive and very soon and just maybe it will be a player none of us have even considered so far. The boss has brought in a few surprise signings over the years and some of them have worked out and I wouldn't be surprised to see him do it again.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Seven Possible Arsenal Transfer Targets

With the real football over for another season we can be sure the summer will be filled with the usual transfer speculation for Arsenal as well as every other club. As season's go 2014/15 wasn't a bad one for Arsenal as they retained the FA Cup and managed to go one better in the league than last season by finishing third. We could dwell on the fact that second place was there for the taking towards the end, but I think the players held a little back for the cup final which is why the league performances faltered in the last few weeks. 

The victory in the cup final was fantastic and so unlike last season as they dominated from first to last minute to win 4-0. There's still a lot of work to be done if they're going to challenge for the title next season, but most of the signs are very positive. If they're going to take that next step they will need to add to the squad this summer and the players below are just a few of those already linked to Arsenal. I'll try to give my opinion on each of them to the best of my knowledge and judge what I think are the actual chances of Arsenal signing each player.

Gonzalo Higuain

Arsenal were very close to signing Higuain a couple of years ago and had supposedly agreed a price with Real Madrid before Napoli came in and offered more. Arsenal decided to concentrate their efforts on Luis Suarez at the time, but they didn't get their man after he chose to stay at Liverpool for another season at least. With Rafa Benetiz departing Napoli for Madrid and no Champions League football for the Italian club next season there are rumours of his departure from the club.

I'm not so sure Higuain is the player Arsenal need and I don't think he's particularly better than what they have already. Olivier Giroud had a very good return this season considering how long he was out injured and I don't think Higuain is so much better than him that Arsenal should invest a large chunk of their transfer fund in him. I think Arsenal need to find a striker who can match the very best and I just don't think Higuain is quite up to that level.

Jackson Martinez

Martinez has done well with Porto and has a very good goals per game ratio, but the Portugese league isn't exactly among the elite leagues in Europe. Prior to joining Porto he wasn't as prolific and he's no younger that Giroud or Higuain either. He does have more pace than either of them though and he might just fit nicely into Arsenal's style of play given the chance.

Porto don't sell their players cheaply though and I expect Arsenal would have to pay a very high price for a player who will be 29 before the year is out. If they're going to pay through the nose for a striker I would prefer to see a younger player come in who might grow with the team and become a great player. I know a tried and trusted scorer with plenty of pace is what's needed, but I'm not certain Martinez is that player either.

Karim Benzema

Benzema has done well in a Real Madrid team where he can never be top dog with the ego of Cristiano Ronaldo alongside him. He hasn't set the world alight for me though and his goal scoring rate is hardly that of a world class striker. I know Ronaldo grabs all the headlines at Madrid, but surely Benzema should have a few more goals to his name in such a free scoring team.

There's also the small matter of the pay scale at Arsenal and what Benzema is currently getting paid in Madrid. I can't see him taking a large cut in his pay to join Arsenal even if the new management at Madrid decide he is surplus to requirements. For me Benzema doesn't do enough often enough to warrant Arsenal breaking the bank to sign him.

Emerick Aubameyang

Abumeyang is a little younger than the other three strikers I've mentioned as he won't be 26 until later this month. His pace certainly fits the profile for the striker I think Arsenal need to sign and he has had a good season in terms of scoring goals with Borussia Dortmund. He won't be easy to pry away from them, but he has been rumoured to be looking for a move with no Champions League football for Dortmund next season.

If he can be acquired at a price to suit Arsenal he might just be the player for Arsene Wenger to turn into the striker he's looking for. Given the choice of course I would love to see Sergio Aguero or Luis Suarez in the Arsenal team and either player would surely help to take the team to the next level, but neither of them are coming our way. It might not be a bad thing for Aubameyang to become an Arsenal player though and I personally would prefer him to Higuain, Martinez or Benzema.

Morgan Schneiderlin

Schneiderlin is a different type of player to what Arsenal have at the moment and he might be something more in the mould of Patrick Vieira. Francis Coquelin has grabbed his chance with both hands since he got into the team, but his emergence doesn't mean there's no place in the squad or the team for another player who can play a defensive midfield role. Schneiderlin offers more going forward than Coquelin though as well as being more than capable of doing the donkey work which Coquelin has excelled at.

A squad with both of those players would leave plenty of room for rotation and even the option of a proper double defensive axis when it's required. Arsenal can offer him Champions League football and he's at the stage in his career where he needs to play at the next level. There will be plenty of competition to sign Schneiderlin after his impressive season with Southampton, but surely Arsenal have to be right up there with a chance to sign him and I think he would be a valuable addition to the squad.

Peter Cech

Cech has had a great career with Chelsea, but he has lost his place to Thibaut Courtois and wants to play first team football. Arsenal have two good keepers in David Ospina and Wojciech Szczesny, but I'm not sure if either of them are the real deal. I think Arsenal need a better keeper than either of them and the question is whether Cech is that player or not.

I'm not so sure about Cech though and I don't think he's the keeper he was a few years ago. I don't think he's as quick off his line as he used to be and he's not as good on crosses either, but he is still probably better than both Ospina and Szczesny. If the rumours are to be believed he's on the way out of Chelsea and wants to stay in London which would make Arsenal a very attractive option for him.

Raheem Sterling

Sterling has apparently made it clear to Liverpool that he won't be signing a new contract and they could be forced to sell him as a result whether they want to or not. He has two years to run on his contract and they would still get a very good price for him this summer. If he's looking to challenge for trophies and play in the Champions League he could do a lot worse than making the switch to Arsenal.

Whether Arsenal should sign him or not is another thing and I'm not so sure he would make the team any better for the price Liverpool would charge. He can beat players for fun at times, but his finishing leaves a lot to be desired and I think Arsenal should spend their money elsewhere. I can't imagine his wage demands will be anything but high and I'm not sure he's good enough to earn the sort of money that world class players like Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez earn.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Has Arsene Wenger Lost The Plot?

After their disastrous start to the season on Saturday Arsenal now head off to Turkey for a Champions League qualifier with a squad so thin they could struggle to field a team. There have been no arrivals of note this summer and their injury list is mounting by the minute. They have to somehow patch together a team that can bring back a result which gives them a chance of qualifying for the group stages.

The latest injury news would seem to indicate that only Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will be missing from the squad which was available on Saturday and Nacho Monreal will return. There are quite a few players carrying knocks though and despite being in the squad there are still doubts over Bacary Sagna, Kieran Gibbs, Aaron Ramsey, Tomas Rosicky, Jack Wilshere and Theo Walcott. All of them could well be available for selection but it's always a risk playing players who are carrying a knock.

There is no choice for Arsenal though with such a thin squad and virtually no players added to it over the summer. While almost all of the other Premier League teams have a week's rest between each game at the moment Arsenal have two vital games against Fenerbache to play. How the squad was allowed to reach this stage in the season without strengthening is anyone's guess.

That leads me to the blog title because Arsene Wenger is the man who makes the decisions at Arsenal and he seemed to be happy to wait until closer to the deadline day to make his moves in the market. I can't help feeling that he thought the side which finished last season so well was strong enough to make a real challenge this season and decided that he wouldn't add to it unless he got the right players at the right price. He has often said how only top, top players will improve his team, but those players cost top, top money.

Gonzalo Higuain was allowed to join Napoli as Arsenal concentrated on chasing Liverpool's Luis Suarez in the mistaken belief he had a release clause in his contract. A month later they have got no further with their quest for Suarez and don't seem prepared to up their offer to a level that would make Liverpool consider selling. While they have been chasing Suarez it appears that they decided to put all other potential targets on the back burner.

The lessons of two seasons ago don't seem to have been learned and Arsenal are making the same mistakes all over again. That summer Arsenal sold both Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas and did virtually nothing about strengthening their squad until the disastrous 8-2 defeat away to Manchester United. Then they went on a deadline day shopping spree which resulted in a few good purchases, but some pretty bad ones too.

They were in the market for any player they could get at the right price and it smelled of panic. This season the transfer window is rapidly approaching and Arsenal are again sniffing around for any player they can get their hands on at the right price. The most annoying thing for me is that Arsenal can afford to buy the quality they need but they just don't seem prepared to pay what has to be paid for genuine quality.

There are still players out there who could make a genuine difference to the Arsenal team and who could be bought if the right money was offered. Those players were available in June and July and are still available now and can be acquired if Arsenal truly go all out to get them. If they end up buying three or four reasonable players who will fit nicely into the squad but not actually walk into the team then they will have truly missed an opportunity to get back among the title contenders. 

What I also find hard to understand is that Arsenal allowed both Frances Coquelin and Ignasi Miquel to go out on loan before they brought players in to play in their positions. I have no doubt both of those players could benefit from the loan moves, but why were they not kept until closer to the deadline day just in case they were needed. With the current injury problems Arsenal have those two players could have at least shored gaps until the end of the month.

When Laurent Koscielny was sent off on Saturday Ramsey had to fill in at centre back and surely Miquel would have been a far better choice if he hadn't been shipped off to Leicester. I have no doubt Miquel wouldn't have been caught so badly out of position as Ramsey was when Villa broke to score their third goal on Saturday. I'm not blaming Ramsey though because he's not a centre back and shouldn't have had to have been asked to play there.

If I made serious errors of judgement in my job such as the ones previously made by Arsenal and then repeated them I would expect to be in a lot of trouble. It's one thing to make such serious errors of judgement, but not to learn from them and repeat them is an entirely different matter. If Arsenal end up partaking in another deadline day shopping spree it can be nothing but mismanagement in my opinion.

Whether the boss has lost the plot or not is another thing, but I'm not sure that he even knows what the plot is at the moment. Until the club can have the where with all to work out a cohesive transfer policy and follow it through then the fans will continue to lose confidence in the management. It is getting very close to the stage where even the Arsenal fans loyal to the boss have decided enough is enough and the next two weeks will decide an awful lot.

Arsenal could turn it all around and qualify for the group stages of the Champions League as well as beating both Fulham and Spurs before the window closes. However unlikely that sounds it is of course possible and the world of Arsenal would seem a much better place if they did so. They could also spend all of their transfer loot on the players that are needed and make a real challenge in the league for the first time in a few years. 

That scenario seems highly unlikely at the moment though but it was the one sold to Arsenal fans at the beginning of the summer when it was season ticket renewal time. If the club fail to live up to those promises there will be an awful lot of very unhappy fans who will not forgive what has happened. It's a scenario I really don't want to see but it's one that's becoming increasingly likely. 

Ideally I would like to see Arsene Wenger lead the club forward by investing the money the club has properly and bring the glory days back. There was a real opportunity to make that happen this summer and that opportunity hasn't completely gone yet but the likelyhood of it lessens almost by the day. 

In summation I don't think he has lost the plot but it's quite possible he has got severe writer's block with his publication deadline approaching. The money has been paid up front and if he can't overcome his block then he'll have to hand it all back. If Arsenal don't make the Champions League group stages and drop out of the top four then the financial consequences could be just as severe for them.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Do Arsenal Have A Transfer Policy

The transfer window has been open for what seems like an awful long time now, but still there's no inward movement at Arsenal with the exception of the free arrival of Yaya Sanogo. July has come and gone and we're into August now, but still the Arsenal cheque book remains under lock and key. There's plenty of money to spend and loads of space in the squad after quite a few departures too.

So far Arsenal have been linked with plenty of players but the stumbling block invariably tends to be he prices being sought by the selling clubs. Apparently Arsenal had agreed a deal with Real Madrid for Gonzalo Higuain but Madrid upped their price and Arsenal decided to walk away from them. I can understand the club's position if Madrid did move the posts, but the switch of emphasis to Luis Suarez is one that really puzzles me.

Arsenal will have to pay an awful lot more for Suarez than they could have got Higuain for and Higuain is the one with the better conversion rate. Arsene Wenger is a man who is very fond of judging players on their statistics and for me Higuain's conversion rate was the reason they should have pushed the boat out to sign him. As each day passes the likely hood of the quality players Arsenal desperately need to sign actually arriving seems to diminish.

To me it looks like all other possible deals have been put on hold until the Suarez deal has been decided one way or the other and that's not a good thing. The other clubs Arsenal would hope to be competing with next summer have all been very busy in the transfer market with the exception of the champions. If the latest rumours are to be believed United will be bringing a pretty spectacular end to their search for players very soon with Cristiano Ronaldo on his way back to them.

If that deal is to happen it would also see Spurs' star player Gareth Bale on the way to Real Madrid for a record transfer fee. The figures being quoted are quite astounding and very hard to believe but they would give Spurs an awful lot of money to invest if they are true. They would also show how badly Arsenal missed out with the sale of Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona two years ago and to a lesser degree with Robin van Persie's sale to United last summer.

It's hard to see a coherent transfer policy at Arsenal at the moment as they hold out for Suarez. Surely a club with a coherent policy would have brought in the other players the club needs even if they were waiting on the arrival of their marquee signing. With Suarez suspended for the first six domestic games they can afford to wait until nearer to deadline day to try to resolve his transfer but the other players are needed now.

With other clubs already investing heavily in their squads it's hard to see how Arsenal can hope to become genuine contenders again without investing themselves. The boss has said the squad he has can challenge as it is but I can only hope he is saying that to keep his cards close to his chest. They might have finished last season very strongly but they have a long way to go to keep up with United, City and Chelsea.

Even Spurs could end up with a far better team if they sell Bale and invest the money they make wisely. This summer seems to be all about the clubs at the top investing and Arsenal have to do that to keep pace with them. Only time will tell if they really will do so, but at the moment it looks less likely by the day. 

I hope I'm wrong and the club come out and spend the money they have on the players that are needed and make us fans happy. If they sign those players and it all goes wrong they will at least have tried, but if they don't sign them and fail to challenge then it will make things very tough for the boss. The decisions he makes in the next few weeks could be the ones that finally move the team forward after too many years of what can be called stagnation at best.

If you haven't done so already why not join my fantasy league for the new season with the code 23040-7359 after you have set up your team. Those who were in it last season will automatically be in again but there's room for loads more teams. There's €50 from my pocket for the winner which may increase if I can get some sponsorship or if everybody keeps clicking those ads on my blog. If you do join up feel free to tell me on Twitter (@JamrockRover) or in the forum on the fantasy site so I can get to know who I'll to pay the money to and good luck.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal's Potential Striker Options Seem Limited To Luis Suarez

Arsenal have being actively pursuing a new striker this summer to no avail so far. At first it looked like Gonzalo Higuain was the player they were most interested in, but they baulked at the asking price from Real Madrid. The latest news would seem to indicate Higuain has passed a medical at Napoli and will not be joining Arsenal.

Arsenal have concentrated their efforts on want away Liverpool striker Luis Suarez instead and seem intent on pursuing him until they get him. All the papers are currently reporting that Arsenal have offered £1 over £40 million which has meant the player has been given permission to talk to them. Despite being allowed to talk to Suarez the Arsenal offer seems to be well below what Liverpool are looking for and they will have to increase their offer. 

It's hard to know what price Liverpool will sell for as their official line is the player is not for sale. It's a complicated situation but with three years left on his contract there is no hurry for them to sell unless Suarez makes his position at the club untenable. It's a situation Arsenal have found themselves in far too often in recent seasons and the outcome has always favoured the player.

I have my doubts about Arsenal's willingness to pay a fee that will probably reach £50 million and also about Suarez's desire to join Arsenal. He has made no secret of his admiration for Real Madrid and I can't help thinking that's where he would really like to see himself playing next season. Arsenal are currently making all the running in the deal, but they could be just paving the way for Madrid to step in.

Suarez has done all he can to get a move from Liverpool starting with taking a bite out of Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic. In retrospect that bite looks like it might have been a premeditated move on his part in attempt to get a move from the club. The 10 game ban he got means he will miss the first six games of the new season no matter what club he is playing for.

He has so much previous as well that it's a huge risk for Arsenal or any club to buy him. Besides the Ivanovic incident he received a large ban for his racial abuse of Patrice Evra and Ivanovic wasn't the first player he sank his teeth into. He's a loose cannon and who's to say he won't go off the rails accidentally or even on purpose again. 

If Arsenal really do intend spending £70 million this summer on new players then they won't have too much left after spending £50 plus on Suarez. The need for other players besides a striker is pretty obvious but there won't be much left in the kitty to get those players. If the sales of Gervinho and Nicklas Bendtner go ahead it might add another £10 million to the kitty, but that still might not be enough.

It's hard to believe that Arsenal didn't make a big mistake when Ivan Gazidas told all who would listen to him that Arsenal had plenty of money to spend this summer. A move like that only lets other clubs know Arsenal can pay big fees and pushes up the price of any players they show an interest in. That money is burning a hole in their pockets right now as potential targets continue to make their way to other clubs.

There's a train of thought that Liverpool will be in no hurry to sell as Suarez is banned and won't be playing a league game before October. If they are to have any chance of replacing him they surely need to sell him as soon as possible so they can use the money to strengthen their team. If they leave it too late they could leave themselves very short in the striking department when the transfer window closes.

I would really prefer it if Arsenal didn't sign Suarez but they need a top class striker and he seems to be the one they want. As a player he's very good and a top class goalscorer too but the risks he brings with him are huge and he is a proven racist. Arsenal have a very diverse fan base and I don't know what signal siging a proven racist would send out to that fan base.

As I've said before though I will support anyone in an Arsenal shirt unless they do something undeserving of that support. If Arsenal send out the statement of intent that spending over £50 million on Suarez would do it could just be the dawning of a new era at the club. Maybe it will show that the purse strings have finally been loosened after the huge costs of paying for the new stadium and Arsenal are ready to be contenders again.

It certainly makes for an interesting time at the moment and although I think the majority of Arsenal fans are still against the signing of Suarez the number in favour of him is growing. After all the years of shopping in the bargain basement maybe some fans want to see the club splash out in the designer shops and buy some real quality regardless of the past of that quality..

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal Put Seven Goals Past Vietnam

Arsenal's tour of Asia continued yesterday with a game against the Vietnamese national side. Having beaten an Indonesian Dream team 7-0 on Sunday they were expected to face a tougher task in this game. Arsene Wenger seemed to keep that in mind with his team selection as he picked a team with a lot of quality and experience.

The game got off to a good start for Arsenal with a goal in the fifth minute from Olivier Giroud and he went on to score a hat trick before half time. With the rumours of at least one more striker arriving at the club this season Giroud is doing all he can to show how good he is in front of goal. The quality of the opposition may not have been of the highest order, but five goals in two half games is good by any standard.

The other Arsenal goals came from Chuba Akpom with a brace, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Ignasi Miquel. They managed to score seven goals yet again as they had on Sunday, but this time their opponents at least managed to pull a goal back. Vietnam got their reward for some occasional good play with just over 10 minutes to go when they pulled a goal bak to leave the final score at 7-1 to Arsenal.

Next up Arsenal are off to Japan where they will play Wenger's former team Nagoya Grampus. That game will take place next Monday afternoon and on Friday of next week they play Urawa Red Diamonds in Japan again in their last game of the tour. After that it's back home for the Emirates Cuo and games against Napoli and Galatasary.I can't say I'm overly happy with the choice of opponents for the Emirates Cuo games but it will be good for the Arsenal fans to see them play again.

So far the team have got a magnificent reception in both Indonesia and Vietnam and the tour seems to have been a great success. Hopefully the Arsenal fans in those countries will have been delighted to have seen their team and there will be an even bigger Arsenal support there in years to come. It's important for the club to expand their international appeal and tours like this one are a huge part of doing just that.

There's still nothing concrete on the transfer front and patience seems to be the order of the day. It's a little frustrating to see other clubs so active while Arsenal are apparently keeping their powder dry. With just over four weeks to the start of the season there's still plenty of time to go, but a high profile transfer would be a massive boost for both the fans and players.

Both Mikael Arteta and Jack Wilshere have recently spoken about their hopes of seeing some quality players arriving. According to them the players are discussing the various names linked with Arsenal in training and looking forward to some arrivals. It would seem everyone knows the team/squad needs some real strengthening and hopefully it just a matter of time now before that happens.

As I've said before I'd much prefer to see Gonzalo Higuain arrive instead of Luis Suarez, but the bottom line is Arsenal need a top class goalscorer. In midfield Marouane Fellaini and Lars Bendtner have been linked and either player would be a good purchase in my opinion. The question mark would seem to be in defence where a central defender is surely needed even if Ignasi Miquel makes the step up to the first team squad.

There has been very little mention of any defenders arriving and hopefully one will arrive in under the radar like Nacho Monreal did in January. The boss was famous for such deals a few years ago with deals like the one for Eduardo seemingly coming out of nowhere. At the moment I think three such deals for top quality players are needed and I have my fingers crossed they will happen very soon.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Should Arsenal Pursue An Interest In Luis Suarez

If the ever so reliable media are to be believed Arsenal have made a bid for want away Liverpool striker Luis Suarez. Judging by the reaction of Arsenal fans on Twitter last night it's not a bid that has impressed those fans. Suarez is a player who courts controversy and is rarely out of the headlines for the wrong reasons.

There is no doubting his ability but it would be a brave move for Arsenal to sign a player who has been found guilty of racially abusing an opponent in the recent past. Added to that he still has six games of a 10 game ban to serve for biting Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic towards the end of last season. It wasn't the first time he has bitten an opponent either and who knows when or how he will next lose the plot on the football pitch. 

Suarez has also gained a reputation for diving and whether it's deserved or not he's certainly a marked man when it comes to referees. He is also very fond of handling the ball to gain an advantage and there are few players on the game who are considered to be as much of a cheat as he is. Arsenal have had their fair share of flawed players in the past, but I would be surprised if Arsene Wenger would sign a player with so many problems and so much controversy around him.

Arsenal have money to spend this summer and are desperate to land a top quality striker. They gave apparently been pursuing Gonzalo Higuain of Real Madrid for a while now, but if that deal doesn't materialise they need a back up plan. Whether Suarez is that back up plan or not is another matter entirely and I'm not sure he is. 

There's always the possibility that it's merely brinksmanship on Arsenal's part to force Madrid's hand in the Higuain deal. Maybe Madrid will think twice about holding out for more money for Higuain if they think Arsenal have their sights set on another genuine target. Madrid have spent a lot of money already this summer and they will need to bring some money in. 

As a fan I want to see quality players sign for Arsenal and I will support those players if and when they do sign. I would much prefer to see the club sign Higuain over Suarez but the bottom line is they are both top class goal scorers and either player would improve the Arsenal team. There's a lot of work to be done to make the current Arsenal squad truly competitive at the top and it needs to start very soon.

I think it would take an awful lot more than the reported £30 million offer for Suarez to get Liverpool to part with their star player, but he has declared his desire to play elsewhere. It won't be easy for them to keep him or get his true market value with other clubs knowing he wants out. He also wants out of the Premier League though as he feels the English media have persecuted him although his troubles are all of his own making.

The Higuain deal is still an awful lot more likely in my opinion but the longer it drags out the more the fans will feel it's not going to happen. I hope Higuain does sign for Arsenal and I wouldn't be surprised to see Suarez end up with Madrid too. It certainly makes the days a little more interesting as the wait for the new season continues.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal Exodus Continues As Yaya Sanogo Signs

With the transfer window open less than a week Arsenal have already managed to offload five players from their first team squad. As each player goes there's more space for new players to come in and that's what the fans want and the squad needs. The rumours of possible arrivals continue daily, but Yaya Sanogo is still the only signing to be officially announced.

The 20 year old French man was signed on a long term contract when his contract with Auxerre expired. He's currently starring for France in the under 20 World Cup but his club career has been very limited due to a string of injuries. He's a player who appears to have a lot of talent and he could be a real asset to the club if he can put his injury problems behind him.

The doubters will say he ticks all the usual boxes for an Arsene Wenger signing as he's young, French, free and has had loads of injury problems. Arsenal have had their fair share of injury prone players in recent years and it is a gamble to bring in a player with his record. I'm prepared to sit back and see how he does before knocking his arrival or the manager either.

The latest departure was Vito Mannone who packed his goalkeeping gloves and moved up north to Sunderland. In his eight years at Arsenal he made a few appearances and played quite well in most of them, but never really looked like the answer to Arsenal's goalkeeping problems. I wish him well at his new club except when he comes up against Arsenal of course when I hope he lets in a shed load of goals.

Before Mannone left Johan Djourou was loaned out to Hamburg for the season with an option for them to sign him at the end of the season. Djourou is another player who never quite made it at Arsenal despite playing quite regularly two or three seasons ago. Hopefully things will work out well for him at Hamburg and they will take him for real at the end of the season. 

Before both of those departures the club offloaded Andrey Arshavin, Sebastien Squillaci and Denilson without bringing in any money. The most important things for Arsenal were the space created in the squad for new arrivals and of course the amount of money saved on the wage bill by the five departures. At a guess I would say the club could save up to €250,000 a week by cutting those five players from wage bill. 

That money could well go towards paying the wages of the new arrivals that surely must be just around the corner. The deal for Gonzalo Higuain seems more likely by the day and hopefully it will be announced very soon. I've said it before and I'll say it again - I think he would be a fantastic signing for Arsenal. Not only would he add genuine quality to the team, but his arrival would also show that Arsenal really are trying to compete at the top again.

Nicklas Bendtner is still an Arsenal player though as his proposed move to Eintracht Frankfurt seems to have fallen by the wayside. His departure would save the club a lot of money with his weekly wage supposedly matching his number 52 shirt. There's even a chance Arsenal could bring in a few million quid if Bendtner can find a new club and that could be put to good use elsewhere.

Things have certainly been busy this week even if most of the movement has been out wards. I have no doubt there will be plenty of inward movement before the transfer window closes and I just hope it's all dealt with sooner rather than later. 

That's if for today.

See you tomorrow.

Arsenal Prospects As The Transfer Window Opens

The summer transfer window opens for real today and hopefully it will mean Arsenal can get some serious business done. They are expected to be in the market for a few younger players and some of those deals will probably go through today. It's the deals for first team players that the fans are interested in though and there could be a few of those in the offing.

Gonzalo Higuain is the striker Arsenal fans would love to see join the club and at the moment Arsenal look to be his most likely destination. He's a striker who knows how to score goals and would be an excellent addition to the team in my opinion. Arsenal would have to break their club record for a transfer fee and pay him more than any other player at the club, and they can afford to do just that.

I would be delighted to see Higuain join but it won't be the end of the world if he doesn't. There are plenty of other options for Arsenal and I'm sure Arsene Wenger must have his eye on a few other strikers. Despite scoring over 100 goals in all competitions last season Arsenal are definitely in need of a top class striker to strengthen their team.

If things are to go the way of the constant media rumours then the next player in after Higuain would be Everton's Marouane Fellaini. He's another player who could very quickly become an important part of the Arsenal team and he could make the defensive midfield role all his own. His ability to attack and defend at set pieces could be a great addition too, but like Higuain he won't come cheap.

He would command a fee only a little less than that of Higuain and his wages would be quite high too. Arsenal have managed to get some of the deadwood off the wage bill with the departures of Andrei Arshavin, Sebastien Squillaci and Denilson and they could be followed by others too. Johan Djourou looks to be going out on loan again and it can only be hoped that Nicklas Bendtner can find a club worthy of the skills he believes he possesses. 

Both Ju Young Park and Marouane Chamakh will be harder to get rid of and the chances are they will stick around without getting a look in. It does look like Vito Mannone will be on the way out with Sunderland as a possible destination after they sold Simon Mignolet to Liverpool. Mannone's chances at Arsenal are limited and they will become even more limited if the rumoured siging of Julio Caesar happens.

Other names being mentioned in connection with Arsenal are Wayne Rooney and David Villa but I would be more than surprised to see either of them join Arsenal. Arsene Wenger is sure to pull at least one rabbit out of his hat and as a result the rumours will grow by the day until some business is done.

Today's hot story is the supposed interest in Lars Bendner and if there's any truth in it he would be a very good signing. His arrival would surely mean Fellaini wouldn't still be pursued as they would be seen as very similar players. I'm not sure which player I would prefer, but I would be happy if either of them joined,.

It certainly looks like things are hotting up and so they should be with the majority of first team players returing to pre season training in the middle of next week. The tour of Asia begins soon after that and then it's down to the real hard work of preparing for the new season. The squad will look an awful lot better with two or three additions as long as last season's best performers can all be kept at the club too.

I'm very hopeful of Arsenal truly competing again next season and I just can't wait for it to begin.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow. 

Arsenal's Away Kit For Next Season Leaked

With the new season drawing even closer Arsenal fans are clamouring for any news of the club. The world of Twitter was briefly lit up yesterday when a notable Arsenal Tweeter (@DarrenArsenal1) leaked what he believes to be the new away kit for next season. The tweet was soon deleted but it had already been retweeted so often that it's now out there forever.

If it really is the new away kit for next season it's certainly a winner in my eyes. I love to see an Arsenal away kit in yellow and blue and this ticks all of those boxes. Who can forget some of the famous victorious seasons in those colours for Arsenal starting with the 1971 double.

For those of you who haven't seen it here's a look at the kit as it was posted.

Of course someone else may have posted the picture previously but I only became aware of it from the source I mentioned. In these days where so much information is available so quickly it's not always easy to find the original source of anything.

In other Arsenal news the arrival of Gonzalo Higuain seems more likely by the day. The other club said to be interested in him were Juventus, but they signed Carlos Tevez on a three year contract last night. That should give Arsenal a free run to sign Higuain unless of course City show some interest in him now that they have disposed of Tevez.

With Real Madrid appointing Carlo Ancelotti as Jose Mourinho's successor hopefully the Higuain deal can come to a climax. His signing would be a real statement of intent from Arsenal and would show they really are determined to compete next season. Hopefully he will arrive very soon and he will be followed by another couple of top class players.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.

Possible Arsenal Transfer Targets This Summer

With money in the bank to spend and a squad that needs improving this could be a busy summer for Arsenal. They need to add some real quality to their squad and as a result they have been linked with a lot of players already. I'll attempt to assess the chances of some of those players actually joining Arsenal.

Chief Executive Ivan Gazidas has been quoted as saying Arsenal have the funds available to pay big fees and high wages too. If that really is the case they could well be shopping in the same places as the clubs with seemingly bottomless pockets. I have my doubts about Arsenal's ability to or intention of spending that sort of money, but I will be glad to be proved wrong.

Marouane Fellaini:

Marouane Fellaini is one of the most recent players reported to be on his way to Arsenal. He has had a very good season for Everton and has plenty of Premier League experience too. He not only is capable of scoring goals, but he can also do the really hard defensive work that some players shy away from. Fellaini has had his disciplinary problems of course and gets more than his fair share of yellow cards.

I think he could be a very good addition to the Arsenal squad and I would certainly be quite happy to see him join the club. If the reports elsewhere are to be believed Fellaini has a release clause in his contract and Arsenal are prepared to pay the fee to activate that clause. I doubt if Everton would be too willing to sell Fellaini but the lure of Champions League football might be difficult for the player to resist. Of course there could be other teams after his services and if Arsenal really interested in him it certainly won't be easy for them to land him.

Gonzalo Higuain is another player to have been heavily linked to Arsenal in recent weeks. He is currently at Real Madrid but he hasn't been as regular a starter as he might have liked to have been this last season. With a new manager on the way to Madrid his future is uncertain to say the least and plenty of clubs are bound to be interested in signing him.

Fellaini to Arsenal chances - 5/10.

Gonzalo Higuain:

Higuain is a very good finisher and I think he would be a very good addition to the Arsenal squad. Santi Cazorla set up far more chances for team mates than any other player in the Premier League last season, but Arsenal failed to convert as many of them as they should have. Higuain is the type of striker who would be a lot more likely to put those chances away if they came his way.

As with Fellaini there should be plenty of interest in him from other clubs and he will probably have a wide choice. If Arsenal are genuinely interested in him they will have to pay a lot of money for him and prove to him that they are a club worth joining. That won't be an easy task but hopefully it's one they can accomplish if they really want him.

Higuain to Arsenal chances - 2/10

Wayne Rooney:

Wayne Rooney is yet another high profile player said to be interesting Arsenal this summer. His current wages at United would surely prove a stumbling block for Arsenal though and his transfer fee could be another one. Rooney has expressed his desire to leave United but I would imagine they will do all they can to hold on to him.

If the rumours are to be believed he isn't too happy with the role he has had to play since the arrival of Robin van Persie and wants to play as a striker again. Maybe Arsenal can offer him a striker's role at the club, but he would surely have to take a cut in his wages to join them. I'm not so sure Rooney's best years aren't behind him after bursting on to the scene at such a young age. His physical stature leads me to believe he mght have problems with injuries and fitness considering how many games he has played already and he could be a very risky investment for any club.

Rooney to Arsenal chances - 2/10

Stevan Jovetic:

Fiorentina's Stevan Jovetic has apparently been a target for Arsenal for quite a while now and he looks like another player who might fit in well at the club. He has been with Fiorentina for five seasons now and looks set to move away from them this summer. There are other clubs interested in him too and if the papers re to be believed he could well be Juventus bound.

Of course Higuain is also supposedly on his way to Juventus and as always players don't always end up where the papers say they are bound. Jovetic has an eye for goal and is still young enough at 23 to improve an awful lot over the next three years. If he were to join Arsenal he might get the chance to fulfill that potential but the chances are his career will progress elsewhere.

Jovetic to Arsenal chances 2/10.

Cesc Fabregas:

Cesc left Arsenal two years ago to return to his hometown and boyhood club Barcelona. It was his dream move and I would be very surprised if were to jump ship after only two years. He is rumoured to be unhappy with his omission from the Barcelona team for their most important games and as a result to want away.

I have no doubt that Arsenal would welcome him back with open arms and he would be a hit in the Premier League again. If he was to become available I have no doubt there would be a huge queue of clubs looking to avail of his services, but Arsenal would surely have the upper hand on any of them. Cesc has shown he is prepared to take a pay cut to join the club he wants in the past and I don't think money would be a huge issue.

Barcelona wouldn't be too keen on losing a player of his talent though and he is still seen as the long term replacement for Xavi. I'd love to see him back at Arsenal but I can't really see it happening.

Cesc to Arsenal chances - 1/10

Nicolas Gaitan:

Nicolas Gaitan joined Benfica three years ago and has progressed with each season at the club. He plays as an attacking midfielder and could maybe offer the Arsenal team something it needs to improve it. He has the ability to take players on and beat them and can score and create goals too.

He would cost an awful lot of money though as Portugese teams rarely let their star players go for anything other than a very large fee. If Arsenal are interested in him the depths of their pockets will be tested but he could possibly be a success at the club. I would be surprised to see him in an Arsenal shirt next season but football never fails to surprise me.

Gaitan to Arsenal chances - 1/10.

David Villa:

David Villa is a prolific striker whose style could well be ideally suited to Arsenal. There were rumours of him joining Arsenal in the January transfer window and they have resurfaced again. With Naymar joining Barcelona he could see his chances of playing limited even more next season and he will want regular football before the World Cup next summer.

Villa will be 32 later this year though and Arsenal aren't too fond of signing players over 30. Since his broken leg in 2011 he hasn't always been a regular in the Barcelona team and that could be a factor in him looking to leave the club. If he does decide to leave Arsenal could be a possible destination as long as the fee matches their valuation for a player of his age.

Villa to Arsenal chances 1/10

It's almost impossible to know what players will join what clubs this summer and Arsenal are no different. Many of the players I have mentioned will probably move this summer but it's impossible to tell where they will end up. If Arsenal were to sign Fellaini, Higuain and Cesc I would be absolutely thrilled but the chances of that are slim to none.

That's it for today.

See you tomorrow.